Combined reel and container



y 1954 K. w. THALHAMMER 79,362

COMBINED REEL. AND CONTAINER Filed Aug 14, 1952 I ,7 16a ML KARL LFG/INGIZ'ALHAMMEQ INVENTOR.

Arroe/vzy- Patented May 25, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a combined reel and container for use withstrip material such as motion picture film.

Prior reel construction for strip film generally comprises two circulardiscs held in spaced parallel planes by a central axially disposed hub.In such prior reels it was difiicult to attach an end of a film strip toa hub because of limited space between the spaced discs. In addition,such prior reels usually employed perforated discs and separatecontainers for such reels were used for storage of film carried thereby.Ob viously, mislabeling of storage containers or misplacement of a filmin a container would make difiicult and aggravating the finding of aparticular film so mislaid.

The present invention contemplates an improvement on my Patent No.2,563,198 wherein a combination reel and container includes specificimproved features. The present invention includes a containerconstruction which facilitates stacking in interlocked relation aplurality of combined reels and containers for storage purposes. It alsoincludes a means providing foolproof handling of the combined reel whenthe cover member is being changed from one position to the other. A morepositive seal between the cover member and the cooperable side member isalso provided.

Therefore it is among the objects of this invention to primarily designand provide an improved reel and container, particularly adapted forstorage and handling.

Another object of this invention is to design and provide an improvedreel and container which is constructed so as to facilitate stacking aplurality of such containers in interlocked relation.

A further object of this invention is to design and provide a cover forsuch a combined reel and container which is adapted to positivelyinterlock with a cooperable film retaining side member and to provide apositive seal with a difierent film retaining side member for storage.

A still further object of this invention is to design and provide acombined reel and container including three side members, one of saidside members being removable and reversible to provide a cover in oneposition and a braking surface in another position.

Still another object of this invention is to design and provide such acombined reel and container wherein an intermediate film retainingmember provides means for interlocking with cooperable means on thereversible side member.

The invention contemplates a combined reel and container of lightweight, simple construction, inexpensively manufactured and capable ofbeing conveniently stacked.

Other objects and advantages of this inven tion will be readily apparentfrom the following description of the drawings in which an exemplaryembodiment of this invention is illustrated.

In. the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a combined reel and containerembodying this invention, the section being taken in a plane bisectingthe device.

Fig. 2 is a half side view of Fig. 1 as viewed from the left.

Fig. 2a is a substantially half side view of a combined reel andcontainer shown in Fig. 1, as viewed from the right of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the intermediate film retaining member asviewed from the plane indicated by line III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view show ing the outer side membersin cover or container forming position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a double headed button orholding means provided on the cover side member.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View of the hollow hub memberemployed with this invention.

The combined reel and container of this invention includes three axiallyported circular members II], II and I2 adapted to be positioned inspaced parallel planes. The members Ill and I2 comprise outer sidemembers and are preferably imperforate or formed of solid sheet material except for axially aligned ports I3 and I4 therein.

The intermediate member H is of slightly smaller diameter than themembers l9 and I2 and is axially ported to correspond to ports I3 and M.The outer side (or cover) member I2 is removably and reversibly attachedto the intermediate member II by interlocking means generally indicatedat IE to be described in detail later. v

The outer side member I0 carries on the inner face thereof, a hollowcentrally disposed cylindrical hub member it having a cylindrical faceabout which strip film may be wound. The hub l6 may be secured to theinner face of side mem her I 0 by any suitable means such as spacedrivets. The hub I6 includes a central boss H defining a circular chamberwith the cylindrical wall IBa forming the cylindrical face, the boss I!having a ported flat face lying in the plane of the circular edge of thecylindrical wall of the hub. The width of the cylindrical face isslightly greater than the width of the strip film to be carried by thereel.

The hub I6 may be provided with diametrically opposite lateral extendingslots I8. Radially inwardly and centrally disposed with respect to oneof said slots I8 may be an axially extending pin I9 to which may beconnected by suitable means a thin fiat metal band 20 providing aleader, the free end of which has means 2i for connection to and holdingof an end of a film strip. The length of band 20 is approximatelyone-half the outer circumference of the cylindrical face on the hub I sothat when film is wound about said hub, the film conection at 2i willfall within the diametrically opposite slot I8. The band 20 is also longenough to extend beyond the circumference of the side member Ill. Theabove described means for attaching a film strip to a reel is describedand claimed in detail in my co-pending application Serial No. 271,385,filed February 13, 1952, now abandoned.

Secured to the outer face of hub I6 by any suitable means such as spacedrivets or welding is the intermediate film retaining member II which maybe perforated or provided with openings as illustrated to affordobservation of film wound thereon when the outer side member I2 isremoved. The member II is formed with a diameter slightly less than thediameter of side members ID and I2.

The intermediate member H is provided with a plurality of circularlyarranged curved resilient tabs 22 stamped from the central portion ofmember II and lying inwardly of the cylindrical face of the hub. Theresilient tabs 22 are normally biased inwardly within the circularchamber of the hub I6. Each resilient tab 22 includes an elongatedarcuate slot 23 commencing at an enlarged opening 24 formed in theportion of tab 21 lying virtually in the plane of member I I. Theopposite inwardly extending free end of each tab 22 lies normallyinwardly from the intermediate member II. The intermediate member II isaxially ported at 25.

The removable and reversible outer side cover member I2 carries aplurality of circularly spaced oppositely projecting holding means orbuttons 21 for interlocking engagement with the resilient tabs. Each ofsaid holding buttons 21 includes two enlarged heads 28 each carriedin'spaced relation to the opposed face of the side member I2. within theenlarged openings 24 when attaching side member I2 to the intermediatemember II. After such insertion the members II and I2 are drawn intotight face-to-face contact by turning member I2 through a relativelysmall angle so as to move the shank of the engaged portions of saidbuttons along slots 23 in the resilient tabs 22. The oppositely directedarrangement of the double-headed buttons 2'! enables the cover member I2to be readily attached to the member II in reverse position.

The cover member I2 includes a cylindrical cover flange 30 formedintegral with the outer circumferential margin thereof. The cover flange30 provides, when positioned in outwardly directed relationship to theintermediate member II, a cylindrical braking surface which may be usedduring an unwinding and winding operation.

'- In reverse position of member I 2 the cylindrical The buttons 21 areadapted to be inserted 4 flange 30 encloses the outer circumferentialedge of intermediate member I I and extends between the members IO andII to afiord a cover for film wound between members I0 and II. The freecircular edge margin 3| of flange 30 is adapted to be snuglyaccommodated within an inwardly facing circumferential groove 32 formedon the circumferential margin of outer side member I0. Thus when thedouble-headed buttons 2'! engage the resilient tabs 22 and the member I2is turned to draw the member I2 into tight face-to-face relationshipwith intermediate member II, the edge 3I of the cylindrical flange 30 isalso urged into snug abutment with the walls of the circumferentialgroove 32. A weather tight moisture-proof seal is thus provided forprotection of film during storage. It is understood that thecircumferential groove 32 may be coated with a resilient, yieldable softmaterial such as rubber or a gasketing material so as to afi'ordeffective and complete seal between the members I2 and I0.

When the combined reel and container is used for storage it is oftendesirable to stack such containers in close adjacent face-toface rela-'tion. To facilitate this stacking and to aid in maintaining a pluralityof containers in stacked relation, a centrally disposed circular recess34 is provided in the outer face of said member I0, the radius of saidcircular recess being virtually equal to the radial distance of thedouble-headed buttons from the axis of the container. Thus whencontainers are placed into adjacent relationship, nonengaged outwardlyprojecting portions of buttons 21 are accommodated within the circularrecess 34 so as to permit the containers to abut along their outer facesin axial alignment and to prevent lateral displacement of one containerwith respect to the other.

It will thus be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that acombination reel and container is provided of simple construction andhaving a positive film retaining and guiding means, a positive coverseal when used in the form of a container, and having positive means forstacking a plurality of such containers in close sideby-siderelationship. The provision of an intermediate perforated side member IIfixed to the hub member cooperates with the solid imperforate sidemember ID to retain film wound therebetween about the hub and since thediameter of the intermediate member is less than the diameter of theouter members I0 and I 2, the intermediate member II does not interferewith the function of the cover member I2 when it is employed incooperation with the member ID to provide a container. The cooperablecover flange 33 and circumferential groove 32 on the respective membersI2 and I6 provide a positive seal when the cover member is drawn intotight relationship by the holding means provided on the intermediatemember and cover member. The holding means in the form of double-headedbuttons provided on the cover member also serves to cooperate with themember II) of an adjacent combination reel and container by projectioninto the circular recess provided in aligned relationship therewith inthe side member It for prohibiting lateral displacement of adjacentside-by-side positioned reel containers, and thus aifords a means forfacilitating stacking of a plurality of adjacent containers of thisinvention.

It is understood that various changes a modifications may be made in thecombined reel and container described above which may come within thespirit of this invention, and all such changes and modifications comingwithin the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. In a combined reel and container for strip film and the like, theprovision of a first circular axially ported imperforate side memberhaving an inwardly facing circumferential groove and an outwardlyfacing, centrally disposed annular recess; a coaxial hollow hub membercarried on and extending inwardly from the first side member; a secondaxially ported intermediate member carried on the inner face of the hubmember and having a diameter less than the diameter of the first sidemember; a plurality of curved resilient holding tabs on said intermediate member and inwardly biased into said hollow hub member andformed opposite said annular recess; a third circular axially portedimperforate cover side member having holding means provided withoppositely projecting portions selectively engageable with said holdingtabs to reversibly attach said cover member to the second intermediatemember; and said cover member having a cylindrical fiange having edgeextremities receivable within the circumferential groove in one positionwhen providing a sealed container and presenting a cylindrical brakingsurface spaced from the first member in another position, the disengagedportion of the holding means being adapted to be received within theannular recess formed on an adjacent first member for interlockingadjacent containers when in stacked relation.

2. In a combined reel and container for strip film and the like, theprovision of: a first circular axially ported imperforate side memberhaving an inwardly facing circumferential groove; a coaxial hollow hubmember carried on and extending inwardly from the first side member; asecond axially ported intermediate member carried on inner faces of thehub member and having a diameter less than the diameter of the firstside member; a plurality of curved resilient holding tabs on saidintermediate member and inwardly biased into said hollow hub member; athird circular axially ported imperforate cover side member havingholding means provided with oppositely projecting portions selectivelyengageable with said holding tabs to reversibly attach said cover memberto the second intermediate member; and said cover member having acylindrical flange having edge extremities receivable within thecircumferential groove in one position when providing a sealed containerand presenting a cylindrical braking surface spaced from the firstmember in another position.

3. In a combined reel and container, the combination of two circularaxially ported film retaining members lying in spaced parallel planes,one of said members being imperforate and having an inwardly facingcircumferential groove formed radially outwardly of the circumferentialedge of the other of said members; a hollow cylindrical axially portedcentrally disposed hub member connecting said two members in said spacedrelation; a selectively attachable circular axially ported cover memberhaving a cylindrical circumferential flange adapted to extend over theedge of said other of said members for accommodation of the edge marginof said flang within said groove in one position and to extend away fromsaid retaining members in another position to provide a braking surface;holding means on said cover member; and resiiient holding means on saidother of said members selectively engageable with said holding means onsaid cover member for driving said latter member and. said other of saidmembers into tight face-to-face relation.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the said one of said membersis provided with a centrally disposed annular recess adapted tointerlockingly receive portions of holding means carried by the covermember of an adjacent reel and container.

5. In a combined reel and container, the combination of: two axiallyported film retaining members lying in spaced parallel planes, one ofsaid members having an inwardly facing circumferential groove formedradially outwardly of the circumferential edge of the other of saidmembers; a hollow axially ported centrally disposed hub memberconnecting said two retaining members in said spaced relation; aselectively attachable axially ported cover member having acircumferential flange adapted to extend over the edge of said other ofsaid retaining members for accommodation of the edge margin of saidflange within said groove in one position and to extend away from saidretaining members in another position to provide a braking surface; andmeans on said cover member and means on said other of said retainingmembers selectively engageable for holding said cover member and saidother of said retaining members in asembly in either of said positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,494,612 Goldberg et al Jan. 17, 1950 2,563,198 ThalhammerAug, '7, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 608.604 Great BritainJune 18, 1948

